Tintash

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Joyful Works is a micro video games company based in London, UK. We develop our own titles and offer development services. I am the owner of the company and act as developer and producer for our projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tintash Apps?

Since we are a micro company, we sometimes hire additional resources for our video game projects. In this project, we needed to outsource all of the 2D art production and some of the software development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tintash provided us with a 2D artist, a software engineer, and a project manager who oversaw the work on their side and made sure the resources delivered on time and according to our requirements.

We were developing a casual puzzle game that required drawing gestures on mobile phone touchscreens. We wanted the game to be in line with the anime visual style. We asked Tintash to develop a prototype or a demo version of the software that included gesture recognition features. For the visual assets, we provided them with a guideline regarding style and some technical requirements for asset production and delivery.

The game targets pretty much everyone; it doesn’t have a specific demographic. We never released the game, to be honest. This project was a proof of concept. We did this work with Tintash, and then my video design colleague and I tested it. We decided to come up with some new mechanics for the game. We didn’t think too much about the target audience at that time. We just had an idea and wanted to try it out. Tintash did a good job, and we’re planning to use them again after adopting some new mechanics.

How did you come to work with Tintash Apps?

I didn’t consider other agencies at the time. I met a founder of Tintash at a game convention in Paris in 2014. He told me about their services. Then, in 2015, I decided to partner with Tintash for our next game. I didn’t approach anyone else because I wanted to see how Tintash worked and determine if they’d be a viable option for future projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we started the project in April of 2015, and we finished in late July or early August of that year. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

This project was a proof of concept. We received the outcome but decided the mechanics that we’d described were not fun. Tintash didn’t do anything wrong. The game just wasn’t engaging, so we discarded it.

How did Tintash Apps perform from a project management standpoint?

Tintash was a professional and reliable partner throughout the project. They continuously monitored the performance of the resources they provided and took action whenever we came face to face with a risk that would reduce the quality of the work delivered. Both the resources and the project manager acted like a permanent part of the team and put in the effort to create the best long-term outcome.

What did you find most impressive about Tintash Apps?

They don’t approach a task by simply fulfilling the requirements dictated by another person; they try to add value to the work, which I really appreciate. The project manager always monitored the work, and the developers suggested ideas for improvement. This kind of feedback is valuable, especially since I’m working with a small team. Tintash genuinely cared about and took ownership of the project.

Are there any areas Tintash Apps could improve?

It’s been 2 years since we worked together, but I think they could improve their automation tools. For monitoring and delivery of datasets, they were relying on spreadsheets in Google Drive. This wasn’t useful for tracking tasks and asset statuses. I’d rather use a project management automation tool collaboratively. At the time, I was using JIRA and Confluence. I asked their resources to use my automation system, but I’d rather they offer something on their side as well. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a nonprofit located in San Francisco and we employ about a hundred people. Our website is oriented toward parents. We also have another part of our work that's oriented toward teachers and students.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal in working with Tintash Labs?

The primary app that Tintash has been working on is for parents and families, which is designed to help them choose age-appropriate media to watch as families or for their kids. It takes our age ratings and reviews of media from our website, and puts it in an app format, both for Android and iOS. They've also worked to a lesser extent on a couple other apps for us, but that's the main one they've been working on.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

Their work is almost entirely mobile app development. We have a certain number of their developers and project managers assigned to us, so it's not project based. The work is ongoing, and we're always improving the app.

What was your process in selecting Tintash Labs?

They've been working with us for a couple of years now, and I wasn't the one who selected them. It was actually my boss who selected them, and I really don't know how that happened. I think that he knew one of the principals, but I'm not really sure how they met.

Can you give a sense of the cost of their work?

I believe we are spending about $130,000 a year working with Tintash Labs.

When did you start working with them?

We started working together in 2013, and we are still currently working with them. We have a certain number of developers and project managers assigned to our organization, so the work is ongoing, not project based.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of their work?

In terms of responsiveness, which is of paramount importance when you're working with an offshore developer, Tintash Labs has been very responsive. Even when I email my project manager in the middle of their night, he will often get in touch with me right away. I've been really happy with that specific aspect of working with them.

A weakness would be that it's hard to know how up to the very latest standards they are, especially in the iOS area, which is changing so quickly as new versions are released, and there are so many new technologies around iOS. Sometimes, I'm not sure whether they are always able to keep up, but when I point something out, they're very responsive.

We're a nonprofit, and it's very hard to hire internal developers because it's so very expensive. Tintash Labs is not perfect, but I feel like they're a really good solution for us, and I really personally enjoy working with them. As people, they're very easy to work with. They're great partners, but the time difference can be challenging, even though they're very responsive. If you were to work with a modern end-to-end design and development app firm. However, you might get people who are more focused on what's next with iOS and Android.

Is there anything unique or special about Tintash Labs that really makes them stand out?

I think the value is really what makes them stand out. They are very easy to communicate with. They all speak excellent English and are very good communicators. When we have to deal with the time difference, we don't want to add communication problems on top of that. So, they're all really smart, a quality group of people.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

There have been times when we had to have a talk with them, either because there was a problem that they weren't solving quickly enough for us, or they didn't understand the urgency of an issue that we were having with a live app. There have been one or two times when we needed to call some of the principals for help. They've always been super responsive and corrected those problems very quickly, and we haven't had those same problems again. Sure, they make mistakes, and they can't always read our minds, but they're very responsive and great communicators.

What advice would you give a future client of theirs?

Although their project management is very strong, I think it's really good to have a pretty clear idea of what a client is looking for in considerable detail. I think that's true with any developer. That will help things go faster. My understanding is that Tintash Labs works more on games than consumer apps, so it's possible that this has been sort of a learning experience for everybody on both sides. We have a mobile cash server, we have APIs [application programming interfaces] to our main site. There are a lot of things going on under the hood. So, I think being really clear about the product a client wants to have built is very important.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

ForFit is the first fitness app to introduce social and charitable forfeits to motivate users into getting fit. We are encouraging fitness beginners to get fit through gamification, charitable forfeits, and the most powerful motivation known to man: embarrassing Facebook posts.

What is your role in the company?

I'm a co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal in working with Tintash Labs?

We had the idea and the wireframes for an iOS application. We approached Tintash because people in the company I used to work for recommended them.

Please describe the scope of their work.

It was to develop the iOS MVP for our GPS based app. We're actually taking part in an accelerator program here in Portugal at the moment, so they're still doing some updates on the iOS. We have another person here working on the Web side of things.

SOLUTION

What was your process in selecting Tintash Labs?

I got a few quotes from various companies, and I went for Tintash on recommendations from a few people. I was told they were really good, efficient, and cost effective as well, so I decided to go with them.

Can you give a sense of the cost of the initiative?

We've spend approximately €12,000 [approximately $13,500] working with Tintash.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

We started working together in March 2014, and we're still working together. They're doing updates at the moment. We're almost finished with the iOS, but we will continue to use them when we have further updates in a few months.

Do you have any statistics or metrics on the project?

We don't have anything in the way of metrics or analytics yet. But, going forward from now, we will. The app seems to perform well on mobile phones, and it's very easy on the battery. We've got a lot of good feedback for the usability of the app. It's very smooth.

One of the reasons that we went with Tintash is because we heard that they are very efficient, and the project was very well organized. I had calls with them, and most days all of the tracking was very efficient. The turnarounds on new builds went very smoothly. I was working full time at another job at that same time, and there was a bit of a time difference, so considering that, it actually went very smoothly. I definitely recommend them. We're still working with them on the hardware, and that's going well.

Is there anything unique or special about Tintash Labs that really makes them stand out?

They excel at best practices. We went in not knowing too much about iOS development, so we trusted them to use the best practices to optimize the app. People here in this accelerator program are just looking at the techniques they used, and all the data that we have is up on Google Store.

So, whatever they did, they did it in the best-optimized way, and no one's having any problems using any of their codes or accessing any information. The app could've been created in a lot of ways, but I think they took the best route. The project was well planned, and for the updates, we can easily implement new features because they've setup the framework.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

There were a few misunderstandings, but I think that was probably just more from my point of view. We made recommendations that we just didn't have the money to integrate. Had we known more about what we were doing, we might have integrated more analytics. We just didn't understand the full development process.

I'm not able to compare Tintash to a lot of other developers, as they are the only one I have worked with directly. 

What advice would you give a future client of theirs?

I would say narrow down the scope completely. There was one feature that we wanted to incorporate into the app, but through miscommunication somewhere down the line, we went ahead with a different approach. Then, later, we were looking at other apps and realized the feature was doable so we added it to the scope. I think if a client narrows the scope at the outset, this kind of problem could be avoided.

There was also an additional cost that we weren't expecting. We assumed that certain things were standard and would be included in the initial quote, but they ended up being extras because it was out of scope. So, the important thing is narrowing down the full scope in the early stages and getting a more detailed quote. Just find out how much everything will be and make sure you have everything covered.

BACKGROUND

Please give a brief description of your company.

LifePrint is startup company that is developing a socially connected mobile photo print experience. It is developing a small mobile connected printer that can be carried with you or left at home. Of course, you can print to your own printer locally or remotely, but it also offers a socially networked experience that allow you to send images to your friends printers, and they to yours using a classic follower/followed model. This works on the small scale, such as sending a cute picture of your kids to your extended family, or on a large scale – think of a celebrity sending a snapshot of a moment in their day to their fan base.

What is your role at the company?

I am the CTO and, as such, I drive architecture and technology decisions, intellectual property strategy, and product development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached Tintash Labs?

Having developed an architectural approach, we were looking to implement the first version of the cloud services and IOS app that would bring our socially networked printing experience to life.

What were your company's business goals for the project?

We wanted to develop the first instantiation of the supporting system; develop an app with defined set of functionality, workflows, and initial look and feel of the initial user experience; demonstrate the system to potential investors and strategic partners; identify issues with the operational flow and user experience as early in the process as possible; and hold to a initial development budget.

Can you talk about the scope of the project?

The scope covered the development of the entire system, included an iPhone app, a cloud service layer, and an initial Bluetooth printer interface. It also included a developing initial workflow and integrating GUI [graphical user interface] design assets developed by a design house we were also working with.

SOLUTION

What was your process for selecting Tintash Labs with which to work?

Tintash was selected prior to my starting in my current position. Tintash was highly recommended to the CEO of LifePrint from someone who had worked with them in the past. When I came on board, the decision was already made. In my early interaction with Tintash, I was favorably impressed with their knowledge of the problem domain and their attention to detail, so I was comfortable with the decision.

Can you give us a sense of the size of the project in dollar terms or personnel work hours?

The project was budgeted at 2,500 man-hours, and the project came in under budget.

When did you start working with Tintash Labs and is the relationship ongoing?

My first interaction with Tintash started in early of 2013. We kicked off formal development in August 2013. The relationship is ongoing. We are currently in the process of quoting the next wave of development work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

We were extremely satisfied with the results achieved. As I indicated, the project came in under the estimate and the budget we established. We had created a detailed list of functionality with more than 150 features that we wanted for our initial release, and we achieved 95 percent of those goals; those not achieved were issues that were more complicated than first thought and we mutually decided to forego those items. The resulting system worked well and allowed us to demonstrate the system to investors and partners. Thus, it met both tactical and strategic goals. We were very pleased with the results that Tintash delivered.

How did Tintash Labs perform?

[They did] very well. [They have] great communications, great attention to detail, [and are] firmly committed to their delivery goals. When problems were identified, they were very creative at suggesting fixes and alternatives. [They were] very responsive and aggressive in closing out defect reports. [We had] a very positive work experience and a very positive relationship.

When working with them, was there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies with which you may have worked?

[Some examples include] extremely reasonable charge rates given the expertise they demonstrated and the quality they delivered; our point of contact was Murad [Akhter], one of the founders of the company – a very smart and reasonable person with excellent communication skills and a delight to work with; He made interactions effective, efficient, and pleasant; they are not as rigid as some companies I have worked with – they were flexible and adaptable to the problem and issues encountered, and very resourceful when dealing with issues; Extremely committed to delivering a solid product - this was backed by an very impressive work ethic.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

Not really, given the number of things we were attempting to do in a first development cycle, and the fact that a lot of this was pioneering new workflows and experiences, the effort went surprisingly smoothly. Based upon early learning, we did change some of the requirements in flight, and Tintash was very reasonable in dealing with this.

What advice would you give to a future client of theirs?

Proactive communications is the key – both written and verbal. The more Tintash understands what you want to accomplish, the better they can help you.

Be prepared to leverage their experience and expertise. When we were unsure of how to deal with an issue, Murad and Tintash always came up with good viable options and worked with us to manage the process going forward.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of ilmfinity

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a software development company focused on games on mobile, PC, and consoles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tintash to accomplish?

• Help expand current projects
• Contribute to new projects

SOLUTION

How did you find Tintash?

Referral

Why did you select Tintash over others?

• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tintash were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The goal of the work was to add game pad support and multiplayer to our mobile game. The tasks were broken up into sprints and we had weekly standups ensuring that we were always on task

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered builds with the features and would show progress during meetings. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They provided daily updates that would indicate their current tasks along with the tasks on the horizon. This always allowed us to put the progress in perspective. There timeline made sense for the work that was being tackled

What was your primary form of communication with Tintash?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

• They were always on top of the tasks assigned to them. 
• They had creative solutions to some of the problems that we ran into
• They were proactive about updating me if there were any changes to the timeline  

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tintash could have done differently?

Overall, I've been happy with their performance and wouldn't suggest anything additional at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Stick Sports Ltd

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We produce sports games for mobile phones

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tintash to accomplish?

• To deliver additional features to an existing game

SOLUTION

How did you find Tintash?

Have known for many years

Why did you select Tintash over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tintash were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Tintash were employed to supplement internal development team to deliver a number of new game features to an existing title. The scope included designing the detailed functionality, selecting technologies and implementation. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

nearly all the features we embarked on were deployed successfully to users.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

very responsive with twice weekly team meetings and monthly account reviews. Challenges were dealt with swiftly

What was your primary form of communication with Tintash?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were knowledgeable about current technologies. Are highly adaptable to your method of working and extremely flexible.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tintash could have done differently?

Some documentation could have been improved

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Oyster Aero

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Aviation Surplus Marketplace and Deal Engine

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tintash to accomplish?

• Build fully functional website including marketplace
• Scale operations with modifications

SOLUTION

How did you find Tintash?

Referral

Why did you select Tintash over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tintash were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Tintash build a custom marketplace for aviation parts and services with several modules that feature B2B listings of Aircraft parts and connects buyers and sellers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Multiple delivery points of product and enhancements over 20 month engagement

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes overall it's been a positive experience with a project manager assigned and access to dev and UI resources

What was your primary form of communication with Tintash?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Very customer oriented, willing to make things work in arrangements. Their quality of work is good.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tintash could have done differently?

None that I can think of at this time

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder/ Director of MyWordPal

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

MyWordPal is a web based application which teaches children with dyslexia how to read using AI voice recognition.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tintash to accomplish?

• MyWordPal application discovery phase
• MyWordPal application proof of concept to showcase at BETT
• MyWordPal application MVP

SOLUTION

How did you find Tintash?

Referral

Why did you select Tintash over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tintash were assigned to this project?

Other

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Requirement specifications (User Journeys, User Stories, User Personas)
• Information Architecture and Low-mid fidelity wireframes
• Exploratory UI style guide
• R&D effort for Soapbox
• APIs integration
• Scoping and estimation effort

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Tintash built POC which allowed us to showcase at Ed tech show

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They always delivered on time. Stellar communication at all times. Responded to each of our emails, phone messages, etc etc

What was your primary form of communication with Tintash?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their dedication and commitment and hard work.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tintash could have done differently?

No